Wire-grounding device



F. A. BROWN WIRE GROUNDING DEVICE Filed Apri 25, 1926 ffyj Patented June2, 1925.

A'rEs ram) A. BROWN, or LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

WIRE-GROUNDING 'bE'vrcE.

Application filed A ril 23 To all whom it may concern: I

"Be itknojwn'that- I, FRED AjBRowN, a citizen of the United States, aresident of the city of Los Angeles, county of 'Los Angeles, andState ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in lVire-GroundingDevices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has to do with a wire grounding device, and it is anobject of the invention to provide adevice for ground wires being strungonto or removed from poles, or the like, to protect workmen handling thewires. i i

ires 'being'strung onto or removed from poles, or the like, areu'suallydead while 'they are being handled; however, it occasionally happensthat a wire while being strungcoine-s in contact with an energized wire,causing injury to the workmen handling the wire. Accidents of this kindare usually caused by the wire being handled sagging into contact with alive wire, or by its whipping'or snapping up into engagement with a livewire when it is being pulled tight.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device for grounding awire while'it is being strung or taken down so that the workmen areprotected against the danger above outlined, in the event that the wirebecomes energized.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the characterjust specified which is simple and convenient to use and thereforecommercially practical.

The various objects and features of "the invention will be best and morefully understood from the following detailed description of a typicalpreferred form of the invention, throughout which reference is had tothe accon'ipanying drawings, in which: v r

F g. l is a view showing a typical pole adapted to carry electric wires,equipped with the device provided by this invention so that wires beingstrung on or removed from it are grounded;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken as indicated by the line 2-2on 'Fig. 1;

Fig. '3'is a view taken as indicated by the line. 3- 3 on Fig. 2; and

Fig. lis a detailsec tional'view, take-n indicated by the line H on Fig;3.

In the drawings, numeral 10 designates a pole, provided at its upperend" with the usua1 form of cross-arm 11. The'cross-arm 11 1923. Serialno. 634,168.

is provided with a pluralitynf insulators i2,adapted to carry the wiresto be supportedby the pole.

T he device provided 'by this invention includes, generally, aco'ntact13 and agrounding conductor 14. The contact 12 is, in-accordance with myinvention, adapted tobe arrangedor-mounted on the'cross-arm '11 in amanner so that it will be in position to make contact with a wire 15, ar'anged over,

or 'otl'ierwise arranged inconnection with, the cross-arm. In theparticular situation illustrated in the drawingsjthe cross-arm '11 isformed or wood and is substantially square in cross sectionalconfiguration, so, therefore, the contact is provided with a lJOC y-partadapted to be mounted on this particular type of cross-arm. It is-to beunderstood that the term cross-armas used throughoutthis-speciticationand in the appended claims is intended to include inlike or sim'ilardevices orconstructions to which this inveiition may beapplicable. The body may includetwo jaws 16 and 17 adapted to bearrangedat opposite sides of the cross 'armll and a connectingpart 18 whichjoins the upper ends of the jaws and is adapted to engage the top of thecross arm. The body maybe adi' antageously formed of a single metalplate, and is preferably designed and proportioned so that it can beconveniently arranged on the cross-arm, in the manner illustrated in thedrawings. It is to "bedistinctlyunderstood, of course, that the broaderaspects of my invention are not in any way limited to this or any'otherto provide a clamping screw 19in connection with one'of-th'ejaws'o-f'thebody so that it can be actuated to engage or clamp againstthe cross-ar1n 111 a manner to securely retain the body in positionthereon. 1.11pmtice theclamping screw'19'is'preferably provided with ahead '20, which can be convenie'ntly manipulated by hand. It will, of

course, be obvious that other forms of securing means may be employed,and that the particular form of securing means used in any given casewill depend more or less upon the details of construction of the contactand upon the type or form of device on which the contact is adapted tobe mounted.

In accordance with the preferred form of my invention, I provide meansfor guiding the wire in contact with a part of the body. The form ofguiding means which I have illustrated in the drawings includes twospaced projections extending from a part of the body, which projectionsare preferably in the form of rollers 21 carried on pivot pins 22. Thepivot pins 22 preferably extend from the body in a manner so that theycarry the rollers at the connecting part 18 of the body, causing theguide means to guide the wire 15 in contact with the connecting part. Inpractice I prefer to crown the outer surface 23 of the connecting partsomewhat so that it will make good contact with a wire 15 being drawnover it. When the guide means is of the type hereinabove described, thatis, when it includes a pair of spaced projections, such as rollers, orthe like, it is desirable to provide means for retaining the Wire 15 inposition between the rollers. In the form of my invention illustrated inthe drawings I provide a gate which, when closed, extends between theouter end portions of the rollers in the manner clearly illustrated inFig. 3. One end of the gate 30 is pivotally connected with one of thepivot pins 29. by means of a suitable pivot pin 32, while the other endis adapted to be releasably connected with the other pivot pin 22 bymeans of a suitable spring catch 32%. The particular spring catch whichI haveillustrated includes a single spring member attached to the pivotpin and provided with a hook part 34 which operates to hold the gate.The spring catch is designed so that it automatically catches the gateupon its being closed and releases the gate when depressed. The gate 30is particularly desirable when the device is used in situations wherethe wire 15 is apt to whip in a manner to lift out of position fromoetween the rollers 21. It will be obvious, of course, that the gate isprovided mainly as an extra safety device and that it may in practice beeliminated.

The grounding conductor includes an insulated wire 40, having one endconnected with the contact 13 and the other end adapted to be connectedwith the ground. In the drawings I have illustrated the wire connectedwith the jaw 16 of the body of the contact by means of a suitable screw41-1. In practice it is desirable to connect the other, or ground, endof the wire 10 with a pipe line or other part that is well grounded, orto provide it with a metal stake 45, for instance, in the form of apiece of pipe that may be driven or otherwise arranged in the ground sothat it has good contact therewith.

In operation the contact 13 is arranged in connection with the crossarm11 by placing the body over the cross arm and tightening the securingscrew 19. The wire 15, to be strung on the cross-arm or to be takendown, is arranged in connection with the contact 13 by arranging itbetween the rollers 21 so that it contacts with the connecting part 23.Then the wire is thus arranged between the rollers it is made secure byclosing the gate 30. The grounding conductor is made ready for operationby connecting it with ground, for instance, by driving the stake 45 intothe ground or by connecting the wire all with a grounded member. Thewire 19 can be moved in either direction across the crossarm 11 and, inthe event that it contacts with a live wire, the current will passthrough the contact 13 and be carried to the ground by the groundingconductor.

It will be obvious that the device provided by the present inventionthus operates to protect workmen handling the wire 15 so that they arenot injured in the event that the wire becomes energized. l'l'hen it isdesired to remove the device provided by the present invention it ismerely necessary to release the securing screw 19 and remove the contactfrom the cross-arm and release the grounding conductor from itsconnection with the ground.

Having described only a typical preferred form of my invention 1 do notwish to limit myself to the specific details hereinabove set forth butwish to reserve to myself any changes or variations that may appear tothose skilled in the art or fall within the scope of the follmvingclaims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A device for grounding a wire being worked on a cross arm including,a contact adapted to be arranged at the cross arm to be engaged by thewire and clamp means for mounting the contact on the cross arm.

2. A device for gounding a wire being worked on a cross arm inchiding,.acontact adapted to be arranged. at the cross arm and embodying a partadapted to be engaged by the wire and means for guiding the wire so thatit engages said part, and a grounding conductor connected with thecontact.

3. A device for grounding a wire being orked on a cross arm including, apart adapted to be arranged at the cross arm to be engaged by the wire,means for mounting said part at the cross arm, means for guiding thewire so that it engages said part, and a grounding conductor connectedwith the contact.

4. A device for grounding a wire being worked on a cross arm including,a part adapted to be arranged at the cross arm and embodying a partadapted to be engaged by the wire and means tor guiding the wire so thatit engages said part, embodying spaced projections at said part adaptedto have the wire arranged between them.

5. A device for grounding a wire being worked on a cross arm including,a contact adapted to be arranged at the cross arm and embodying a partadapted to be engaged by the wire and means for guiding the wire so thatit engages said part embodying two spaced rollers projecting fromsaidpart and adapted to have the wire arranged between them.

6. A device for grounding a wire being worked on a cross arm including,a contact adapted to be arranged at the cross arm and embodying a partadapted to be engaged by the wire and means for guiding the wire so thatit engages said part embodying a pair of spaced projections extendingfrom said part and a member extending between the projections at a pointspaced from said part.

7 A device for grounding a wire being worked on a crossarm including, acontact adapted to be arranged at the cross arm and embodying a. partadapted to be engaged by the wire and means for guiding the wire so thatit engages said part embodying a pair of spaced projections extendingfrom said part and a releasable member extending between the projectionsat a, point spaced from said part. A

8. A device for grounding a wire being worked on a cross arm including,a contact adapted to be arranged at the cross arm and embodying a partadapted to be engaged by the wire and means for guiding the wire sothatv it engages said partembodying a pair of spaced projectionsextending from said part and av gate adapted to close across the outerparts of theprojections.

9. A device for grounding a wire being worked on a cross arm including,a contact adapted to be arranged at the cross arm and embodying a partadapted to be engaged by the wire and means for guiding the wire so thatit engages said part embodying a pair oi spaced projections extendingfrom said part, a gate pivotally connected with one projectitm, andmeans for releasably connectin g it with the other projection.

gaged by the wire and means for guiding the wire so that it engages saidpart embodying a pair of spaced projections extending from said part, a.gate pivotally con.- nected with one projection, and spring catch meansfor releasably connecting it with the other projection.

11. A device for grounding a wire being worked on a cross arm including,a contact ei'nbodying a body having jaw parts adapted to receive thecross arm and a part adapted to engage the wire.

12. A device for grounding a wire being worked on a cross arm including,a. contact embodying aws adapted to receivethe cross arm, a part adaptedto be engaged by the wire, and means for guiding the wire in engagementwith said part.

13. A device for grounding a wire being worked on a cross arm including,a body having two spaced jaws adapted to receive the cross arm, and aconnecting part extending between the upper ends of the jaws and adaptedto be engaged by the wire, a screw carried by one of the aws forclamping the body on the cross arm, a pair of spaced pivot pinsextending upwardly from. the connecting part, rollers carried on thepins to guide the wire in engagement with the connecting part, a gatepivotally connected with the upper end of one of the pins, spring catchmeans for releasably connecting the gate with the other pin, a wirehaving one end connected with the body, and a grormding stake connectedwith the other end of the wire.

14. A device for grounding a wire being worked on a cross arm including,a contact adapted to be arranged at. the cross arm, and embodying a.part adapted to be engaged by the wire and means for guiding the wirein. contact with said part.

15. A device for grounding a wire being worked on a cross arm including,a part adapted to be arranged at the cross arm to be engaged by thewire, means for detachably mounting said part at the cross arm, andmeans for grounding the wire in engagement with said part.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 31st day or" March, 1923.

FRED A. BROWN.

Witnesses I. L. lVE-srLAKE, lVM. I-I. NIAXWELL.

